Christmas is over. Gone. All that's left is New Year's. Which always gets me to thinking about lofty goals about how I'm going to improve my life over the next 365 days.
Normally I aim too high and am "off the wagon" by February. This year I'm doing something a little different. I'm setting smaller, more achievable goals.
Of course, most of my goals revolve around dogs. That's what you get when you're a dog trainer, I guess.
Here are some of mine:
- Work on nail trims at least once a week.
- Finish watching Steve and Jen White's 12-hour tracking seminar DVD's and get Nemo started in tracking.
- Enter Tango (or Lily) into a Rally-O competition.
- Have more fun with the dogs. Get out and enjoy the sunshine at least once a day with absolutely no purpose other than to enjoy the company of my dogs.
- Give Talos back to Service Dogs of Virginia without entering into a deep, dark depression. (That's one I'll never accomplish, I fear.)
I'm interested in hearing some of your dog-related goals and resolutions for 2010. Leave a comment and let me know what you and your dogs will be up to in 2010!
Hi Laurie.
The last comment made me cry b/c I realized what you would be giving up, but also gainning, for someone like myself and I will always love you for what you do.
I’ve already made the promise to myself whether I get Talos or Gryphon to have his puppy raisers in my life somehow b/c without them, I would not be getting a dog.
I want to learn all the commands I need to know to be successful with my dog so we are the best team for each other.
I want to love Cody more if that makes sense? And love myself a liilt more.
I want to get back in the best shape I can to benefit the dog and I physically. I’ve had three surgeries in 6 months so I’m lacking in the exercise department.
I want to finish school and get a job to prove to the world I’m worthy of something.
I’d like a few less doctor apts. and surgeries.
And I want to make 2010 the best year I know how.
Love you,
Kathy
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Kathleen, your resolutions are terrific.
Yes, it does make sense that you want to love Cody more. I understand. J
Ive started to think about turn-in day
with Talos. Its going to be very difficult for me. It is with all the dogs, of
course, but Taloshes the first Dane Ive raised and Im crazy for the Danes.
And hes such a silly, goofy, lazy, funny dog. Im not quite sure how Ill be
that first month without him. Itll be better, of course, once I see him paired
with his person. It always is. But theres always a little heartache no matter
what. Its impossible to love a dog and then let him go and be completely ok
with it. Or at least thats the way it is with me. Sigh. But hey, I
knew what I was getting into! Ive done this before. I know whats coming.
Its what I signed up for. On Graduation Day, Ill cry a little bit (ok, A
LOT!) , but in the end, Ill be happy to see Talos with someone who loves him
and will care for him as much as hell care for them.
Thanks for sharing your resolutions I hope
you meet each and every one of them!
Here are my two main ones related to training:
1) Teach a few tricks to the fish using shaping rather than luring. I think the first couple tricks will probably be the hardest!
2) Improve my shaping skills with the dog.
Actually, I’ve shaped a couple of new behaviors over the past few weeks and have been fairly pleased with the results.
What I think I really need more practice on is going smoothly from the offering behavior stage to the behavior on cue stage. Teaching stimulus control, that is.
Mary
Laurie,
Let me know when T has to go back to SDV, clinets don’t know these things, and I’ll be right there with you, and a few box of tissue of course!
Is T going to be with you for his 1st birthday??? Maybe we could throw him a party?!?! I think I’m actually serious…
Hi Laurie,
I don’t have any resolutions at this time but wanted to post that it’s a wonderful thing you do with the SDV. I do admit that I am following your blog especially because of Talos (that’s how I found you). I love to hear all about how you are training Talos for his future job. I am also partial to Great Danes.
I see that Kathleen posted and she may be receiving Talos when he is finished being trained. I know that whoever gets him will be a very happy person. I’ve owned dogs all my life but Kasha is my first full great dane and as you know already Great Danes are just different, very, very special dogs.
Keep up the great work in the new year and maybe whoever gets Talos will have a blog as well.
AARF Kasha the Dainty Great Dane & her human Denise
Mary, great resolutions! I think the fish training would be fascinating! Shaping is really fun – it’s my preferred method of training. It’s so much fun to watch the dogs really figure it out. Adding the cue can be tricky, but once you’ve added a cue to a few behaviors, the dog picks up the concept pretty quickly after that. Keep up the good work! 🙂
Yes, I do believe we’ll have T for his first birthday. We always have birthday parties for the dogs, especially the service dogs in training. We don’t get many occasions to celebrate since we only have the dogs for about a year, so we do our best to really whoop it up every chance we get.
I’m sure I’ll cry all over this blog when I get the turn-in date. You’ll know. Probably way too much as I boo-hoo again and again. And again.
Denise, don’t worry, I’m used to Talos getting all the attention. That’s the way I prefer it, actually. He’s way more interesting, don’t you think? 😉 Yes, Danes are certainly special dogs. Very funny, very silly, very…special. Talos can be lazy, he can be comical, he can be goofy, and he can be serious. He’s a terrific boy, and I really do love his silly, smelly, snoring self. Probably very much the same way you love your Kasha.
P.S. I hope to be posting more video soon. It’s been SO cold and all the material I want to video requires that I be outside with T. I can’t bear it, it’s been frigid here lately!
My goals are:
1. Compete in Rally-O and achieve the rally novice title with Tula
2. Perfect the emergency recall
3. Slowly step up Tula’s jogging/endurance training so she can easily complete 6-8 mile runs
4. Do lots of fun hikes with my husband and Tula